Why did anti-imperialists in the United States oppose the US annexation of the Philippines after the Spanish–American War?

A.
They feared that the US military was overextended and could not defend the new territory.

B.
They believed that adding more US states would disrupt the political balance in Congress.

C.
They argued that the cost of administering a new territory was much higher than any potential economic benefit.

D.
They felt that expanding US territory through conquest was a contradiction of the founding principles of the United States.

1 answer

D. They felt that expanding US territory through conquest was a contradiction of the founding principles of the United States.

Anti-imperialists in the United States often argued that the annexation of the Philippines contradicted the nation's founding principles of self-determination and liberty. They believed that the U.S. should not impose rule over other peoples and that imperialism was inconsistent with the ideals of democracy and freedom established in the country's founding documents.